Chapter 6: Reported Injury Road Accidents

Chapter 6: Reported Injury Road Accidents

Infographic Chapter 6: Reported Injury Road Accidents

Reported Injury Road Accidents

1. Introduction

1.1 This chapter provides information on injury road accidents which were reported to the police, such as the number and severity of accidents, the police force area in which the accidents occurred, the types of vehicle involved, the number and severity of casualties resulting from the accidents, and the costs of injury and non-injury accidents.

More information can be found in the Transport Scotland National Statistics publication Reported Road Casualties Scotland: http://bit.ly/2hi2pou.

Key points

  • There were 161 people killed in road accidents in 2018, 16 (11%) more than the previous year.
  • There were 1,582 people recorded as seriously injured in road accidents in 2018, 12 (1%) less than in 2017.
  • Three quarters of casualties in 2018 were car users or pedestrians.  Sixty per cent of casualties were car users and 15 per cent were pedestrians.  Pedal cycles accounted for 8 per cent and Motorcycles for 8 per cent.

2. Main Points

Accidents

2.1 There were 6,423 injury road accidents reported in 2018, 695 (10%) fewer than in 2017. The number of reported accidents has been falling over the past ten years, and in 2018 was 47% lower than in 2008; the lowest figure since current records began in 1970. There were 150 fatal accidents in 2018: 10 (7%) less than in 2017. The reported number of accidents in which someone was seriously injured, but no-one died decreased by 1% to 1,369 and the number of reported slight accidents (4,904) was 696 (12%) fewer than the previous year. (Table 6.1)

2.2 In 2018, over one third of all reported injury road accidents (2,392: 37%) were on non-built up roads (speed limit of more than 40 m.p.h. - see Notes and Definitions section, page 225).  However, such roads accounted for a higher proportion of fatal accidents (107: 71%), partly because speeds tend to be higher on non-built up roads than on built up roads.  There was a smaller decrease in accidents on non-built up roads (down by  5%) between 2017 and 2018 compared to a decrease in accidents on built up roads of 12%.  (Table 6.1)

2.3 The long term trends in the number of injury road accidents reported between 2008 and 2018 varied between the Police Force divisions across Scotland, ranging from a 29% fall (East Ayrshire) to a 75% fall (Moray). The figures for an area may fluctuate from year to year, especially in smaller areas, although the trends appear to be downwards.  (Table 6.2)

2.4 There were 11,399 vehicles involved in reported injury road accidents in 2018.  Almost three-quarters of them were cars (8,367: 73%); light goods vehicles were the next vehicle type most often involved in accidents (759: 7%), though pedal cycles are a similar proportion.  (Table 6.3) Up until 2010, the number of motorcycles involved was higher than the number of pedal cycles but since then there has been a fall in motorcycle traffic and an increase in pedal cycle traffic.  The number of vehicles involved in accidents should always be considered alongside the traffic estimates in Chapter 5.      

Casualties

2.5 161 people were killed in road accidents in 2018, 16 (11%) more than the previous year. This was 51% less than the 2004-08 average, the time period used as the baseline for Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020. (Table 6.4)  Further analysis of progress against the Road Safety Framework Targets can be found in article 1 of Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2018.

2.6 There were 1,582 people recorded as seriously injured in road accidents in 2018, 12 (1%) less than in 2017, 39% less than the 2004-08 average. 6,668 people were recorded as slightly injured in 2018, 1,026(13%) fewer than in 2017, and the lowest recorded.  There were a total of 8,411 casualties in 2018, 1,022 (11%) lower than in 2017. (Table 6.4)

2.7 In the context of the total volume of traffic on the roads in Scotland, the 8,411  total casualties recorded represented 17.47 casualties per 100 million vehicle kilometres. The Road Safety Framework also monitors the numbers of slight injuries per 100 million vehicle kilometres.  The 6,668 people who were recorded as slightly injured in 2018 represented 13.85 casualties per 100 million vehicle-kilometres.  This was 57% below the overall slight casualty rate for the 2004-08 baseline period for Scotland’s Road Safety Framework.  (Table 6.4)

Child casualties

2.8 There were 753 reported child casualties in 2018, representing 9% of the total number of casualties of all ages.  There were 3 child fatalities, 142 children were seriously injured (56% less than the 2004-08 average), and 608 were classified as slightly injured.  Due to the relatively small number of child fatalities, these are monitored using a three year average to remove the effect of year on year fluctuations.  In the three years to 2018, there was an average of 6 child fatalities. The number of child serious casualties decreased by 11 (7%) between 2017 and 2018. Slight casualties were down by 137.  (Table 6.4)

Casualty Rates & Costs

2.9 Table 6.5 provides road casualty rates per thousand population by age group and mode of transport.  Overall, there were 1.55 casualties per thousand population in 2018.  The casualty rate for children (0-15 years) was 0.82 per thousand population.  However, the child and young adult pedestrian casualty rates (0.36 and 0.25 per thousand population respectively) were much higher than the pedestrian casualty rate for adults (0.19). The total young persons' (16-24 years) casualty rate in 2018 was 2.46 per thousand population, just under twice the rate for all ages. The young persons' casualty rate in cars (1.80 per thousand population) was almost double the rate for adults aged 25-59 (which was 1.07 per thousand population).  Further information about  the mid-year population estimates used to calculate these rates can be found at the National Records of Scotland, here http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/population/population-estimates/mid-year-population-estimates (Table 6.5)

2.10 The cost of all road accidents (including damage only non-injury accidents) in 2018 is estimated at £1,029 million at 2018 prices.  (Table 6.6)

 

Table 6.1: Reported accidents by type of road and severity
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Built up roads
Fatal 82 56 56 61 64 44 67 47 44 44 43
Serious 1,277 1,033 925 953 985 806 854 833 815 792 748
Fatal and Serious 1,359 1,089 981 1,014 1,049 850 921 880 859 836 791
Slight 6,105 5,902 5,360 5,345 5,116 4,897 4,782 4,521 4,606 3,756 3,240
All severities 7,464 6,991 6,341 6,359 6,165 5,747 5,703 5,401 5,465 4,592 4,031
Non-built up roads
Fatal 163 140 133 114 98 115 114 110 131 96 107
Serious 965 965 788 722 751 619 634 588 617 586 621
Fatal and Serious 1,128 1,105 921 836 849 734 748 698 748 682 728
Slight 3,567 3,460 3,033 2,790 2,763 2,493 2,382 2,378 2,141 1,844 1,664
All severities 4,695 4,565 3,954 3,626 3,612 3,227 3,130 3,076 2,889 2,526 2,392
All roads
Fatal 245 196 189 175 162 159 181 157 175 140 150
Serious 2,242 1,998 1,713 1,675 1,736 1,425 1,488 1,421 1,432 1,378 1,369
Fatal and Serious 2,487 2,194 1,902 1,850 1,898 1,584 1,669 1,578 1,607 1,518 1,519
Slight 9,672 9,362 8,393 8,135 7,879 7,390 7,164 6,899 6,747 5,600 4,904
All severities 12,159 11,556 10,295 9,985 9,777 8,974 8,833 8,477 8,354 7,118 6,423

 

Table 6.2: Reported accidents by police force division and local authority area
  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
North East 1 1,400  1,329  1,090  1,019  1,047  930  784  657  583  467  424 
Aberdeen City 514  445  350  364  385  349  273  229  175  155  135 
Aberdeenshire 692  687  599  518  533  462  419  347  334  252  240 
Moray 194  197  141  137  129  119  92  81  74  60  49 
Tayside 931  909  741  750  742  642  533  472  421  459  406 
Angus 286  232  192  220  202  178  141  145  111  135  126 
Dundee City 270  281  219  237  227  185  168  126  135  120  96 
Perth & Kinross 375  396  330  293  313  279  224  201  175  204  184 
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire 436  455  436  377  344  350  304  346  306  288  240 
Argyll & Bute 288  282  275  232  211  208  193  227  178  174  156 
West Dunbartonshire 148  173  161  145  133  142  111  119  128  114  84 
Forth Valley 680  634  538  545  568  556  460  508  481  405  327 
Clackmannanshire 85  77  69  64  84  69  62  62  69  48  36 
Falkirk 310  303  240  261  270  248  229  250  235  216  164 
Stirling 285  254  229  220  214  239  169  196  177  141  127 
Dumfries & Galloway 419  388  360  319  320  303  311  278  269  236  259 
Ayrshire 698  706  576  653  580  540  543  590  570  453  435 
East Ayrshire 230  215  201  204  173  162  164  205  179  131  163 
North Ayrshire 248  225  177  230  205  188  179  192  186  165  147 
South Ayrshire 220  266  198  219  202  190  200  193  205  157  125 
Greater Glasgow 1,901  1,761  1,581  1,540  1,527  1,282  1,436  1,393  1,467  1,260  1,039 
East Dunbartonshire 141  147  141  140  114  102  101  94  93  88  59 
East Renfrewshire 109  103  104  116  97  98  92  93  95  95  70 
Glasgow City 1,651  1,511  1,336  1,284  1,316  1,082  1,243  1,206  1,279  1,077  910 
Lothians & Scottish Borders 1,257  1,152  1,083  994  1,029  944  900  972  857  785  703 
East Lothian 193  174  199  159  170  154  178  158  158  158  128 
Midlothian 221  207  193  177  216  165  188  189  166  134  119 
Scottish Borders 383  363  307  274  263  255  221  221  202  185  173 
West Lothian 460  408  384  384  380  370  313  404  331  308  283 
Edinburgh 1,285  1,192  1,179  1,181  1,167  1,157  1,263  1,110  1,140  905  772 
Highlands & Islands 702  724  574  568  594  511  517  448  458  353  438 
Eilean Siar 60  39  42  35  28  20  37  32  24  17  21 
Highland 586  616  475  488  514  443  432  379  383  309  394 
Orkney Islands 36  27  27  13  22  23  24  12  25  11  10 
Shetland Islands 20  42  30  32  30  25  24  25  26  16  13 
Fife 576  588  556  447  421  420  410  428  452  317  327 
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde 565  458  485  509  472  374  387  368  401  351  289 
Inverclyde 195  146  165  155  136  120  130  110  112  91  79 
Renfrewshire 370  312  320  354  336  254  257  258  289  260  210 
Lanarkshire 1,309  1,260  1,096  1,083  966  965  985  907  949  839  764 
North Lanarkshire 639  664  585  569  512  510  482  451  483  444  382 
South Lanarkshire 670  596  511  514  454  455  503  456  466  395  382 
Scotland 12,159  11,556  10,295  9,985  9,777  8,974  8,833  8,477  8,354  7,118  6,423 

Note: Detailed figures for casualties by local authority area can be found in Reported Road Casualties Scotland table B

1.  In 2015 the police created a new North East division by combining Aberdeen City, Moray and Aberdeenshire councils.

Table 6.3: Reported vehicles involved by type of vehicle 
  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Pedal cycle 768  821  810  855  934  919  924  829  809  752  657 
Motor cycle1 1,050  1,038  859  827  890  777  835  738  710  607  640 
Car 15,061  14,578  12,805  12,400  12,214  11,220  11,191  10,935  11,077  9,406  8,367 
Taxi 367  391  355  387  333  327  310  270  304  264  201 
Minibus 65  79  57  52  54  39  43  37  52  37  32 
Bus/coach 796  697  611  617  520  469  433  389  396  320  298 
Light goods 918  760  752  785  806  876  878  886  909  787  759 
Heavy goods 654  554  546  465  453  408  419  384  322  305  273 
Other 541  469  447  364  326  266  257  208  172  195  172 
Total 20,220  19,387  17,242  16,752  16,530  15,301  15,290  14,676  14,751  12,673  11,399 

1.  Includes all two wheeled motor vehicles.

Table 6.4: Reported child casualties and all casualties, by severity; and the slight casualty rate
    Child casualties All casualties1 Total Slight casualty
rate per 100 million veh-kms
Killed Serious injury Killed & Serious Slight injury Total Killed Serious injury Killed & Serious Slight injury
2004-08 average 15 325.4 341 1,678 2,019 292 2,605 2,897 14,200 17,097 32.47
2003 17 415 432 2,048 2,480 336 2,957 3,293 15,463 18,756 36.78
2004 12 372 384 2,011 2,395 308 2,766 3,074 15,428 18,502 36.13
2005 11 356 367 1,796 2,163 286 2,666 2,952 14,933 17,885 34.96
2007 9 269 278 1,538 1,816 281 2,385 2,666 13,573 16,239 30.39
2008 20 279 299 1,390 1,689 270 2,575 2,845 12,747 15,592 28.66
2009 5 253 258 1,215 1,473 216 2,287 2,503 12,540 15,043 28.36
2010 4 223 227 1,151 1,378 208 1,969 2,177 11,161 13,338 25.66
2011 7 203 210 1,106 1,316 185 1,878 2,063 10,722 12,785 24.71
2012 2 194 196 971 1,167 176 1,981 2,157 10,555 12,712 24.24
2013 9 141 150 902 1,052 172 1,667 1,839 9,653 11,492 22.02
2014 7 171 178 851 1,029 203 1,701 1,904 9,398 11,302 20.96
2015 4 140 144 827 971 168 1,602 1,770 9,207 10,977 20.29
2016 12 167 179 820 999 191 1,697 1,888 9,009 10,897 19.39
2017 2 153 155 745 900 145 1,594 1,739 7,694 9,433 16.03
2018 3 142 145 608 753 161 1,582 1,743 6,668 8,411 13.85
Per cent change: 2018 on 2004-08 average -81 -56 -57 -64 -63 -45 -39 -40 -53 -51 -57

1. Including those casualties whose age was not known.

Table 6.5: Reported casualties by mode of transport and age group, 2018
    Numbers Rates per 1,000 population
Young  Older Total Young  Older Total
Age not known Children 0-15 Persons 16-24 Adults 25-59 Adults 60+ Children 0-15 Persons 16-24   Adults 25-59 Adults 60+
Pedestrian 4 334 143 501 271 1,253 .36 .25 .19 .20 .23
Pedal cycle 3 64 62 453 55 637 .07 .11 .18 .04 .12
Motorcycle 2 3 105 453 77 640 .00 .18 .18 .06 .12
Car 15 316 1,044 2,764 940 5,079 .34 1.80 1.07 .69 .93
Taxi 1 3 13 69 18 104 .00 .02 .03 .01 .02
Minibus 0 4 0 11 5 20 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00
Bus/Coach 2 19 18 88 103 230 .02 .03 .03 .08 .04
Light goods 0 8 38 243 30 319 .01 .07 .09 .02 .06
Heavy goods 0 1 5 56 11 73 .00 .01 .02 .01 .01
Other1 0 1 3 46 6 56 .00 .01 .02 .00 .01
Total 27 753 1,431 4,684 1,516 8,411 .82 2.46 1.82 1.11 1.55

1.  Including any casualties whose mode of transport is not known

Table 6.6: Costs of injury accidents by type of road, and of 'damage only' accidents
 Injury Accidents All injury accidents Damage only accidents All accidents
Motorway Non Built-up Built-up
  £ million at 2018 prices
2008 48.4 714.0 620.3 1,382.7 402.0 1,784.6
2009 50.6 638.8 515.7 1,205.1 380.7 1,585.8
2010 33.2 585.6 470.2 1,089.0 340.6 1,429.6
2011 41.1 488.7 484.2 1,013.9 333.1 1,347.0
2012 32.8 486.6 495.8 1,015.2 325.3 1,340.5
2013 36.5 476.5 404.8 917.8 299.8 1,217.7
2014 36.2 478.4 467.4 982.0 295.7 1,277.6
2015 49.5 429.8 407.2 886.5 282.6 1,169.2
2016 45.6 508.8 394.2 948.7 280.5 1,229.2
2017 29.1 404.7 373.2 807.0 238.1 1,045.1
2018 44.4 423.4 347.9 815.8 213.4 1,029.1